


Love Is A Wonderful, Terrible Thing

by Itneveroccurredtomeatall



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-03 09:54:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24349105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Itneveroccurredtomeatall/pseuds/Itneveroccurredtomeatall
Summary: “Not good news, I take it.”Minerva shut the door and sat beside him.She shook her head. “It is good news. It’s just not good news for me.”“I often find that, in cases such as these, a pair of unbiased ears work wonders. Though, of course, should you wish to maintain your privacy, I would completely understand.”
Relationships: Albus Dumbledore & Minerva McGonagall, Minerva McGonagall/Dougal McGregor
Kudos: 9





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've always loved Harry Potter and it was my first fandom, but I've somehow never written Harry Potter fanfiction before now?!?!

Albus smiled, his eyes gleaming in the dark corridor, as the dark-haired boy hurriedly spilled excuse after excuse for being out of bed past curfew. 

“Well, Mr. Price, if you run along to bed immediately, I suppose I won’t have to report you to Headmaster Dippet.” 

“Thank you, Professor Dumbledore,” the third-year said before he scurried off in the direction of Gryffindor Tower. 

Albus continued his patrol of Hogwarts' corridors, luckily not running into any more students out of bed after curfew. But when he passed the transfiguration classroom, he could have sworn he heard a muffled sound coming from within. As if someone were sobbing. 

He crossed to the large wooden door and knocked softly. “Minerva?” 

“Yes, one moment, please.” 

A second later the door opened to reveal Minerva McGonagall looking more upset than he’d ever seen her. Even after she had lost her final quidditch game and was sent to the hospital wing with a concussion and several broken ribs, losing any future hope of playing professionally for the Montrose Magpies, she hadn’t shed a single tear. 

But now her tear stained cheeks seemed to glisten in the night and he could make out her red-rimmed eyes even in the dark. 

“Professor Dumbledore,” she said, blinking in surprise and hastily brushing a stray tear away. “How may I help you?”   
“Minerva, as I am no longer your professor, please call me Albus. And, perhaps a better question is: how may I help you? I don’t mean to pry, but you seem rather upset.” 

“Yes, I’m afraid I received… news today.” She opened the door. “Sorry Prof- Albus. I seem to have forgotten my manners. Please, come sit.” 

Albus offered her a grateful smile and entered the classroom, taking a seat at one of the desks in the back. 

He remembered standing at the front of the room teaching Minerva while she sat as close as possible, impossibly eager to learn. He had been pleasantly surprised when her enthusiasm for learning continued to grow throughout her time at Hogwarts as, for many, school stamped out whatever passion they had started with. And he had been fiercely proud when she had successfully transformed into her animagus form for the first time after months of hard work and dedication. 

“Not good news, I take it.” 

Minerva shut the door and sat beside him. 

She shook her head. “It is good news. It’s just not good news for me.” 

“I often find that, in cases such as these, a pair of unbiased ears work wonders. Though, of course, should you wish to maintain your privacy, I would completely understand.” He paused.

“I suppose you’re quite right.” She paused for a moment then continued, not meeting his eyes, instead preferring to gaze at the white knuckles of her clenched fist as she gripped the edge of the desk so tightly he feared it might break beneath her force. “After I finished school, before I went to work for the Ministry, I went home for the summer. To spend time with my family and- oh, you’ll think this silly!” 

“I assure you, Minerva, I won’t,” Albus said quietly. “It’s important to you and therefore cannot be  _ ‘silly.’ _ ” 

“That’s very kind of you, but I’m afraid I was rather foolish. Please don’t think poorly of me.” 

“That, my dear, would be impossible,” Albus replied. 

She blushed and offered him a small, grateful smile and continued. “I returned home and met a boy. He was beautiful and clever and funny. I didn’t expect-I was just home for the summer and then I was going to leave and start my life, but I loved him. He was a Muggle, a farmer’s son, and I was going to be his wife.” 

“You were?” 

Upon her graduation, Minerva had received countless offers of employment. It had seemed that nothing was out of the possibility, except playing quidditch professionally, and Albus had often entertained himself by thinking about the many possible futures of his brightest, most accomplished student. He had to admit, he had never considered her becoming a farmer’s wife. 

She nodded. “He proposed and I said yes, but, well, I was due to start working at the Ministry and I had seen my mother love my father enough to lock her wand away. I saw how much it hurt her to lose so much of herself for him and I wasn’t strong enough to do the same for Dougal. The next day I told him I couldn’t marry him and then I left for London. And today I received news that he married someone else. I should be happy for him because he’s moved on and he’s found someone wonderful, but, instead, I’m here crying and wondering what my life might be like if I had married him.” She let out a sharp laugh. “I’m terribly selfish, aren’t I?” 

She finally looked up and met his piercing gaze with her watery one. 

“Minerva, you’re human,” he said firmly. “Love is a wonderful, terrible thing and it is never easy.” 

She finally broke down sobbing as she buried her face in her hands. 

Albus sat silently, trying to exude comfort into the dark room. It might have worked because, after a few minutes, Minerva calmed herself enough to speak. 

“You’re terribly busy and I’m sorry to burden you with this,” she said finally.

“There is no need to apologize, Minerva. You’ve done nothing wrong and it is no burden I am not willing to bear.” He paused, contemplating what to say. “May I tell you a story?” 

She blinked in confusion, but nodded. “Please.” 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this took so long! I hope you enjoy it! :)

“When I was about your age, I also fell in love. He was, well, in a word… irresistible. I knew I should concentrate on my sister, on keeping my family together, but…” He trailed off. “I was weak. I got lost in our dreams.”

He seemed to get lost in his memories for a moment, gazing past Minerva with slightly clouded eyes, but he returned to the present after a few seconds. 

“We were going to do so many things, but then it all went wrong,” he muttered, looking down. “And, I suppose it comes with me being myself and him being himself, but when it went wrong, it went horribly wrong. I’m afraid I must now ask you not to think too poorly of me, my dear professor.” He looked up, meeting her eyes with his piercing blue gaze.

“Never,” Minerva replied firmly. 

Albus offered her small smile. “Very well, then. In my youth, I felt I was meant to be more. It was, perhaps, a folly of youth. I had won prizes, I had excelled in school, I had kept up with the finest minds in the wizarding world and I truly believed that I was going to change the world for the better.”

“And you have!” Minerva protested, but Albus just smiled fondly at her.

“I am glad you think so, but I have not always been so certain.” He took a deep breath and continued with his story. “I was set up to succeed in every possible way until my mother died. You see, my sister had been unwell due to a childhood incident that left her... damaged. She lost control of her magic; it would burst violently from her on occasion, but deserted her for the remainder of the time. On one such occasion, the burst was too strong and too violent. My mother died, leaving Aberforth, Ariana, and I as orphans.” 

“I-I’m sorry.” Minerva could not think of what else to say. It would be horrible to have your mother die. It would be even worse to have your mother die because of your sister. 

“I am not telling you this story in the hopes of gaining your pity or your sympathy.” 

“Of course,” she replied with a nod. 

Albus continued. “I had planned to stay home with her while Aberforth finished school, but, I’m afraid to say, I was horribly distracted. When one is young and in love, any time that passes when you’re not together seems intolerably long. Grindelwald-” 

Minerva gasped. She had heard the rumors. They’d been inescapable, flying every which way faster than bludgers, but she had never put much faith in them and still, to this day, staunchly defended Albus whenever anyone suggested there had been anything untoward between the Headmaster and Grindelwald. How could the greatest man in the world love the worst? And how could the worst man in the world love the greatest? It just hadn’t made sense. 

“I’m sorry,” she said once she was over her shock. “I meant no offense.” 

Albus’ eyes twinkled. “None was taken, my dear. I’m afraid I found Grindelwald quite irresistible. He was brilliant and talented and had so many wonderful ideas. Terrifying, to be sure, but wonderful. And I got caught up in them. We were going to establish a new Wizarding order... for the greater good.” Albus smiled sadly, almost bitterly. “I suppose you know what happened with that.” 

Minerva nodded.

“I’m ashamed to admit that I entertained some terrible ideas during that time in my life. Unforgivable things. I was intertwined with Grindelwald, convinced that we were going to change the world together. I admired him... and I loved him. At the time, I loved him more than my own family. And Ariana-” His voice broke. 

Minerva swallowed. She felt as if she were supposed to say something. But what could one say in a situation such as this? That she couldn’t believe the rumors were true? That some part of her always suspected he was at least a little gay? That it wasn’t his fault? That it was his fault? 

She decided on repeating the words of the wisest man she knew. “Love is a wonderful, terrible thing.” 

He smiled, his eyes crinkling and sparkling in the dim light.

“It truly is. I’ve told you this because it was hard. Even after everything Grindelwald had done, all the atrocities he’d committed, a part of me still loved him. I think a part of me still does. Powerful love doesn’t completely disappear,” he said. “It is perfectly understandable for you to be upset over how things have progressed with Dougal and you’re not, by any means, foolish or selfish. You’re simply in love and you probably will be for some time, but that feeling of loss will lessen with time. You’ll find new, better things to do with your life than wish for one with someone else.” 

They sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes and then the clock tower struck, signaling it was far past both of their bedtimes.

Albus rose from the desk, straightening his robes and then his spectacles. “It appears that that is my cue to leave,” he said quietly. “I know it may not feel like it, but everything will be alright. Good night, Minerva.” 

“Good night,” she replied. “And thank you.” 


End file.
